I was just trippin’ through the archives tonight, seeking a song that would strike a chord somewhere in my befuddled mind, and when I came across this one, I sat up a bit straighter and something inside me said, “YEAH!!!!” I knew then that I had found what I was looking for!
Cat Stevens, nee Steven Demetre Georgiou, is a British singer/songwriter. I have a confession to make … I did not know he was British! I’ve always loved this song … it is on my ‘walking’ playlist, as it gets me going faster than some and adds a bit of bounce to the steps.
Stevens tells why he wrote the song …
“I was trying to relate to my life. I was at the point where it was beginning to happen and I was myself going into the world. I’d done my career before, and I was sort of warning myself to be careful this time around, because it was happening. It was not me writing about somebody specific, although other people may have informed the song, but it was more about me. It’s talking about losing touch with home and reality – home especially.”
Yusuf Islam – 2008
In 1978, Stevens converted to Islam, changed his name to Yusuf Islam, and abandoned his musical career, saying that it had “becoming a chore, and not an inspiration anymore”. Today, he uses his ongoing royalties for philanthropic works, and has founded several schools and Small Kindness charity, which initially assisted famine victims in Africa and now supports thousands of orphans and families in the Balkans, Indonesia, and Iraq.
There is a considerable amount of controversy surrounding this artist, but this is a post about the music, and not a place to delve into controversy. And so … let us enjoy the music …
Wild World
Cat Stevens
Now that I’ve lost everything to you
You say you want to start something new
And it’s breaking my heart you’re leaving
Baby, I’m grieving
But if you want to leave, take good care
Hope you have a lot of nice things to wear
But then a lot of nice things turn bad out there
Oh baby baby it’s a wild world
It’s hard to get by just upon a smile
Oh baby baby it’s a wild world
I’ll always remember you like a child, girl
You know I’ve seen a lot of what the world can do
And it’s breaking my heart in two
‘Cause I never want to see you sad girl
Don’t be a bad girl
But if you want to leave take good care
Hope you make a lot of nice friends out there
But just remember there’s a lot of bad and beware
Beware
Oh baby baby it’s a wild world
It’s hard to get by just upon a smile
Oh baby baby it’s a wild world
And I’ll always remember you like a child, girl
Baby I love you
But if you want to leave take good care
Hope you make a lot of nice friends out there
But just remember there’s a lot of bad and beware
Beware
Oh baby baby it’s a wild world
It’s hard to get by just upon a smile
Oh baby baby it’s a wild world
And I’ll always remember you like a child, girl
Oh baby baby it’s a wild world
And it’s hard to get by just upon a smile
Oh baby baby it’s a wild world
And I’ll always remember you like a child, girl
Songwriters: Yusuf Islam
Wild World lyrics © BMG Rights Management
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